PAXTON — Bob Hunzinger has been named the next chief executive officer and president of Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative (EIEC). He begins his new duties on January 1.

Hunzinger replaces Dave Champion, who is retiring after 40 years of service at Paxton-based EIEC."We are confident that Bob will serve our member/owners well and that he is the right person to lead our cooperative into the future," said Marion Chesnut, EIEC's board chairman.

Hunzinger, a native of Dieterich and graduate of the University of Illinois with a bachelor of science in electrical engineering, has 20 years of experience in the utility industry in Illinois. He has worked for Illinois Power in Champaign-Urbana and Decatur and the Soyland Power Cooperative. More recently, he served as general manager for municipal utilities in Kentucky and Florida. He has over 30 years of varied utility experience.

"I am excited and humbled for this opportunity and the trust the board members have placed in me," Hunzinger said. "I look forward to working closely with the board and the hard-working employees of EIEC to continue their history and tradition of providing excellent service.

EIEC is a rural electric cooperative that supplies electricity to about 12,000 member/owners. EIEC's board of directors selected Hunzinger following a nationwide search conducted over many months. The board interviewed several highly qualified candidates.